Save Upper Darby Arts endorses Smith for state House of Representatives

By
John Kopp, Delaware County Daily Times

Thursday, April 10, 2014

The political action committee formed by Save Upper Darby Arts earlier this year has endorsed Billy Smith for the state House of Representatives.

Smith, an attorney from Lansdowne, is challenging state Rep. Margo Davidson, D-164, of Upper Darby, in the Democratic primary. Dafan Zhang, of East Lansdowne, also is seeking the Democratic nomination in the 164th Legislative District.

Save Upper Darby Arts formed as a grassroots organization two years ago to prevent drastic cuts to the Upper Darby School District’s art, music, physical education, library, technology and foreign language programs.

The group attracted national media attention by producing an online video and gathering more than 22,000 petition signatures. The group’s efforts led the General Assembly to restore $2.726 million to Upper Darby.

Chairwoman Colleen Kennedy said Smith understands the importance of implementing a fair funding formula and the impact special education has on school budgets. She added that Smith shares the organization’s desire to hold charter schools more accountable.

“We really need new leadership in general,” Kennedy said. “He is willing to actually listen to key stakeholders. He wants to listen to figure out what needs to be done for the future.”

Kennedy was critical of Davidson for voting in support of a vouchers amendment and accepting campaign contributions from Students First, a school choice advocacy group.

Davidson supports school choice, but has said, ideally, traditional public schools would perform well enough that all parents would select them. She previously has called upon Republican Gov. Tom Corbett to fully restore the $1 billion that was cut from the state education budget in 2011. Corbett consistently has noted the slashed funding was expired federal money.

Davidson, state Rep. Nicholas Micozzie, R-163, of Upper Darby, and state Sen. Edwin Erickson, R-26, of Newtown, were credited for working together to restore $2.726 million to Upper Darby in 2012.

Kennedy said Davidson did her “fair share” to restore the funding, but credited the national attention generated by Save Upper Darby Arts for forcing the General Assembly to respond. She said the legislators each only held one vote.

Save Upper Darby Arts has more than 1,200 followers on Facebook. Kennedy said she handles most of the organization’s work. Volunteer parents help her organize events.

A similar grassroots group, the Upper Darby Parents Coalition, also has emerged, but has not endorsed any candidates.

The political action arm of Save Upper Darby Arts consists of Kennedy and a few others, she said.

Kennedy said she met with both Smith and Zhang during the endorsement process. She did not meet with Davidson, saying she is familiar with her educational ideals from previous experiences.

Smith, whose children attend Friends Select, said a fair funding formula is the only way to save public schools.

“Our communities are only going to be as good as the schools that are in them,” Smith said. “By fully funding our schools and providing families with viable options in their communities, we are going to build stronger communities.”

Smith also has been endorsed by the Pennsylvania State Education Association.

“It’s funny that my opponent criticized me for bringing home million of dollars to save our arts programs and union teacher jobs and then claims credit for an endorsement from a now dysfunctional organization whose leader has long since endorsed my opponent,” said Davidson, who is endorsed by the Delaware County Democratic Party and also received this week the backing of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO.

Zhang also did not respond to a request for comment.

Saud Siddiqui, the chief operating officer of the Upper Darby Caring Foundation, is running unopposed in the Republican primary for the 164th Legislative District.